Liquid pump



Feb. 22, 1938. T. L. TlTus LIQUID PUMP Filed June l, 1957 1 III,

AHWIEUHM l lllinwm.

IVENTOR. L 7271/5. 54 2%.'

ATTORNEYS.

IIIIII' Patented Fei). 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID PUR/[P Application June 1, 1937, Serial No. 145,648

10 Claims.

My invention relates to pumps for liquids and, in its herein disclosed embodiment, particularly to pumps for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquids such as cream, syrups and the like.

The invention will be herein described in terms of its structure and use for dispensing cream in predetermined quantities suicient to ll the individual cream containers commonly used in restaurants and, in this regard, it is an improvement upon the dispenser which is the subject matter of my United States Patent No. 1,805,790 issued May 19, 1931.

Objects of my invention are, in a device of this class, to provide means (a) for positively controlled uniformity of speed of ejection of the liquid; (b) for predetermining the maximum quantity of liquid which can be ejected by any one operation; (c) for preventing spilling or spraying of liquid during ejection and preventing dripping or leakage of liquid; (d) for ejection of the predetermined amount of liquid by gravity, of the liquid accelerated by weight of a piston; (e) for convenient operation by the operators hand which holds the container into which the liquid is to be ejected; (f) for recharging the device by the manual operation which automatically results in ejecting the charge; (y) for accomplishing these objects with a minimum of moving parts, with a structure of utmost simplicity of construction and operation and a structure which facilitates complete cleansing and sterilization and renders practically impossible the incorrect assembling of parts.

With these and other objects in View, all of which will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout and in which Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section of the device showing certain parts in elevation and illustrating the moving parts at rest in normal position between operations.

Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal section taken at right angles to Fig. 1 and illustrating the moving parts at the extreme of the upward movement of piston and cylinder.

Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2 except that the parts are illustrated in position nearing the end of the downward or ejecting movement.

Fig. 4 is an illustration of a modication of structure in which the device is incorporated in the iiuid reservoir.

Vrounded edges 2|, between the faces 22.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 6 and Fig. 6 is a detail of the spout valve and fragment oi associated parts on enlarged scale and in section showing valve closed as at the end of the ejecting operation.

My dispenser comprises a cylindrical housing in two parts designated as base I and top 2 connected by a ground joint as at 3. This housing is provided with a tubular boss or nipple 4 through which fluid is admitted' to the housing 10 from any suitable reservoir, not shown.

To clamp together parts I and 2 of the housing and also to provide an air outlet and seal therefor, I provide a yoke 5, suitably pivoted in part I of the housing, as at 6, and carrying cen- 15 trally, a threaded pin 'I having suitable knurled head 8 and. a conical point 9 adapted to seat in conical recess I0' in boss II projecting upwardly from the center of the top of part 2 of the housing and thereby clamp parts I and 2 together and, coincidently, close air passage I2 -leading from the interior of the housing through boss I I.

The floor of base portion I of the housing is provided with a truste-conical recess I3, the Wall of which forms a seat for the boss I4 projecting from the bottom of floating cylinder I5 positioned within the housing. 'Ihe cylinder I5 is of less diameter than the interior of the housing leaving an annular chamber I6 for liquid circulation between the housing wall and the wall of cylinder 30 I5, which is somewhat shorter than the length of the interior of the housing so as to allow some reciprocation of the cylinder within the housing. Suitable means, as lugs I1, project from the top of cylinder I5, to insure maintenance of passage way for liquid between chamber I6 and the up` per interior of cylinder I5 even when the cylinder is at the eXtreme of its upward movement.

When the cylinder I5 moves downwardly boss I4 will be seated on the inclined wall of recess I3. 40

Boss I4 is provided with passage ways I8 for permitting passage of liquid, therethrough, into and out of the lower interior of cylinder I5. The boss I4 is also provided centrally thereof with a bore I9 in which piston stem 20 is slidable. The 45 stem 20 is multifaced, preferably squared, with This structure provides for a denitely guided reciprocation of stem 20 within bore I9 and also additional passageways for liquid into and out of the '50 lower interior of cylinder I5 through bore I9 along faces 22.

Stem 20 carries, at its upper end, a piston head 23 having a relatively thin peripheral edge 24 having a substantially cream-tight but freely 55 sliding fit in the smaller bored portion 25 of kcylinder I5, the cylinder having a larger bore 26 at the bottom for allowing free passage of cream around the periphery of head 23 when the head is within the larger bore 26. Except near edge 24 head 23 is thickened as necessary to provide the desired weight for speeding the ejection of the cream as hereinafter described.

Depending centrally from base l of the housing I provide sleeve 21, the bore of which is of the same diameter as bore I9 and stem 26 extends down into sleeve 21 and has a sliding fit therein and cream passageways along the faces 22 thereof within sleeve 21 substantially the same as within bore I9, as above described. Stem 20, slidably mounted in sleeve 21 and in bore I9 as above described, serves to position cylinder I centrally within the housing at all times.

Spout 28 is slidably mounted within the lower end of sleeve 21, the bore of the sleeve being suitably vreduced as at 29 and 36' to provide such slida-ble mounting and also to provide a seat 3| for rim 32 of the spout, which rim. has a slidable but cream tight t in the bore of sleeve 21. The top of spout 28 is interiorly bevelled as at 33 to form a valve seat for conical valve 34 on the lower lend of stem 20.

'I'he spout 28 projects below sleeve 21 to a suitable distance for adjustment and operation as hereinafter described. The lower end of spout 28 is reduced to a sharp edge preferably by rounding the outside thereof as at 35. g

Slidably mounted on the lower end of spout 28 I providel operating nut 36 adapted to be set at any desired pointalong the spout by suitable means as set screw 31 and having enlarged bore 38 in its lower portion to substantially clear the nut from contact with the spout at or adjacent the lower end -of the spout. e The bottom of nut 36 is cone shaped as at 39 to accommodate the neck of an ordinary, individual service cream container as indicated in broken lines.

The modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 is the same as the structure above described with the following exceptions, viz: instead of a separate reservoir connected with the housing by conduit 4, I here provide the reservoir integral with the housing by enlarging the upper part thereof as at 40, providing therefor any suitable top or cover not shown. As the upper interior of cylinder I5 is Valways open to the cream in the reservoir the ylugs I1 may be eliminated. The ground joint 3 isl not essential but is preferably provided for affording convenient access to the 4bottom of the interior of the housing. The Weight of the reservoir 48 vwill be sufficient to prevent undesired disconnection at the joint thereby rendering yoke 5 unnecessary. No cover valve being required in this structure parts above described from and including screw 1 to and including air passage l2 are here eliminated.

V'I'he operation of the device will, now be described. y Y

Starting with the device assembled as illustrated in Fig. 1, thecream flows in from the reservoir, not shown, through tubular boss v4 and fills the interior of the 'housing at all points above the bottom of boss I4, which is seated on the wall of recess I37and thel cylinder I5. During the filling of the housing the air is exhausted through passage I2 which is opened by raising screw 1. When the -housing is filled, passage I2 is closed by returning screw 1 to position shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3.

Nut 36 is set at that point on spout 28 which will give the desired length of stroke and corresponding size of ejected charge, as hereinafter described. The nut is fixed at this point by set screw 31.

Nut 36 is now forced upwardlyI until it is stopped by the lower end of sleeve 21 as illustrated infFig. 2. This lifting of nut 36 is done by any suitable means but, where the ordinary individual size cream container is to be filled, the operation is most conveniently accomplished by the operator applying the container to the cone shaped bottom 39 of the nut in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 where the container is indicated in broken lines. The upward pressure raises nut 36, spout 28, stem and piston head 23 to the positions illustrated in Fig. 2.

During this movement, so long as edge 24 of the piston head is within large bore 26 of cylinder I5, the cream from above the piston will pass freely around edge 24 into the space below piston head 23 but when edge 24 moves into the smaller bore of cylinder I5, passage of cream around edge 24 is shut off and during the balance of the upstroke of piston head 23 pressure is exerted on the cream above head 23 and suction is set up below the head. 'I'his action lifts cylinder I5 until lugs I1 contact the ceiling of the housing. The cream compressed in the upper interior of cylinder I5 flows over the top'into annular chamber I6, freely until the lugs strike the ceiling and thereafter between the lugs, and the cream in the lower part of chamber I6 iiows beneath the cylinder filling the interior of ther cylinder below the piston head as well as passages I8 and the passages along faces 22 ofstem 28, both within boss I4 and as far down as valve seat 33, which is closed by cone 34.

When piston head 23 reaches the limit of its upstroke the pressure above and the suction below the head cease and the cylinder drops of its own weight, seating the lower edge of boss I4 on the wall of recess I3 and thus shutting of! the inow of `cream beneath the cylinder.

When upward pressure on nut 36 is released the nut and spout 28, aflixed thereto by set screw 31, will drop to position shown in Fig. 3 thus opening valve 33-34 and seating rim 32 on seat 3l and permitting the cream below head 23 in cylinder I5, passages I8 and spaces around stem 20 to flow down through and out of spout 28 into the container.

'Ihis down flow of cream will result from the Weight of the cream. itself but will be accelerated by the weight of stem 20 and head 23 which are preferably made of comparatively heavy material, the head being thickened to any degree desired for the increase of weight. The weight may be varied according to the thickness or viscosity of the liquid which the device is designed to handle.

The acceleration of the downflow of the cream by the weight of the stem and head will continue until edge 24 has passed into large bore 26 whereupon the resistance of the cream to the downward movement of the head, with its depending stem, will be removed because the cream can freely pass upwardly around edge 24. Accordingly, when edge 24 passes into larger bore 26 the head 23 and the stem 20 will drop, without substantial resistance, until cone 34 is seated in seat 33. 'I'he closing of valve 33-34, as just described,l instantaneously cuts oi the flow of cream from spout 26. Y y l v 'I'he substantial clearance between bore 38 of nut 36 and the periphery of spout 28 prevents any cream spreading to nut 36 and dripping therefrom.

The reduction of the lower edge of spout 28 to a circular knife edge, as by rounding or bevelling 35, prevents the cream accumulating on the outside of the spout and aids in shooting the cream down into the container in a substantially straight, even stream as indicated in iine broken lines at Fig. 3.

It will be understood that after valve I 3-I4 is closed and while the edge 24 of the piston head is dropping but still within smaller bore 25 of the cylinder, cream will be sucked into the upper interior of cylinder I5 from the reservoir through tubular boss 4, annular chamber I6 and over the top of cylinder I5.

It will be observed that the pump may be primed even in the preferred embodiments shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, without using the vent I2 and screw 1. For example, before placing the cover 2 in position the cylinder I5 may be lled with cream, the cover 2 placed in position and clamped with screw 1. 'I'he cylinder will contain cream but chamber I6 and the top of the housing, above the top of cylinder I5, will contain air. Operation of the pump a few times will eject the air together with some cream until all air is ejected.

Also in the preferred embodiment it will be noted that the operation of the pump in ejecting cream will suck cream into the housing even though the reservoir be lower than the boss 4. Obviously the lower the reservoir below boss 4, the stronger suction will be required and if the reservoir were very low and the required suction correspondingly great so as to materially slow the downward movement of piston head 23, such downward movement could be easily accelerated by supplementing the weight of the piston by any simple and obvious mechanical expedient as, for example, by the insertion of a compression coiled spring between the top of the piston head and the ceiling of the housing.

The operation of the modified structure illustrated at Fig. 4 is the same as that above described except that the communication between the liquid reservoir and the upper interior of the cylinder is direct instead of through tubular boss 4, chamber I6 and over the top edge of the cylinder. In this form the upward movement of the cylinder is not mechanically limited as by contact of lugs I'I with the ceiling of the housing as in the other form, but such upward movement stops and the cylinder drops as soon as the upward movement of head 23 stops, thereby releasing the suction beneath the head.

This method of operation makes it necessary in this embodiment to have cylinder I5 made of substantial Weight because, if too light, a sudden and vigorous upstroke of the piston head might cause the cylinder to continue its upward movement after the piston head had reached its limit in which case the head would start on its down stroke before valve I3-I4 is closed thus lessening the eiiciency of the above Idescribed operation.

While I have illustrated and described structural details of embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto as various modications of and changes in details of construction will occur to those skilled in the art and Within the spirit and scope of the disclosure and of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a liquid dispensing pump, in combination, a housing, a vertically reciprocable cupped cylinder Within the housing, a liquid chamber around the cylinder within the housing, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder, means operable through said outlet for raising the piston, passages in the bottom of the cylinder in open communication with said outlet but having means to open said passages to communication with the chamber when the cylinder is raised and to close said passages against said communication with said chamber when the cylinder is at its lowest position.

2. In a liquid dispensing pump, in combination, a housing, a vertically reciprocable cupped cylinder within the housing, a liquid chamber around the cylinder within the housing, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder, means operable through said outlet for raising the piston, said means being adapted to open said outlet during the downward movement of the piston but to close said outlet under all other conditions, passages in the bottom of the cylinder in open communication with said outlet but having means to open said passages to communication with the chamber when the cylinder is raised and to close said passages against said communication with said chamber when the cylinder is at its lowest position.

3. In a liquid dispensing pump, in combination, a housing, a vertically reciprocab-le cupped cylinder within the housing and having its bore enlarged near its bottom,- a liquid chamber around the cylinder within the housing, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, a piston reciprocable within both bores of the cylinder and having a liquid-tight b-ut freely slidable t in the smaller bore of the cylinder, means operable through said outlet for raising the piston, passages in the bottom of the cylinder in open communication with said outlet but having means to open said passages to communication with the chamber when the cylinder is raised and to close said passages against said communication with said chamber when the cylinder is at its lowest position.

4. In a liquid dispensing pump, in combination, a housing, a vertically reciprocable cupped cylinder within the housing, a liquid chamberr around the cylinder within the housing, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder, means operable through said outlet andthrough the bottom of the cylinder for raising said piston and for centering the cylinder with the outlet, passages in the bottom of the cylinder in open communication with said outlet but having means to open said passages to communication with the chamber when the cylinder is raised and to close said passages against said communication with said chamber when the cylinder is at its lowest position.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a reciprocable piston within a reciprocable cupped cylinder within a housing, a bore through the bottom of the cylinder, a sleeve depending from they housing, a stem slidable in said sleeve and in said bore and attached to said piston, a tubular spout slidable within the sleeve, means within the sleeve for limiting downward movement of the spout, a valve seat in the top of the spout and a valve on the lower end of said stein adapted to alternately open and close said valve seat.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a reciprocable piston within a reciprocable cupped cylinder within `a'housirig, Aa bore through rthe bottom of the cylinder, a sleeve depending frorn vthe housinga stem slidable in said sleeve and in said bore and vattached to said piston, a tubular spout slidable within the sleeve, means Within the sleeve for limiting downward movement; of the spout, a valve seat in the top of the spout a `valve on the lower end of 4said stem adapted to alternately open and close vsaid valve seat, said spout extending below said sleeve, and means carried by the lower end of the spout for lifting the spout and thereby lifting said stern and piston, said means being adapted for adjustment to limit the upward movement of the spout.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a reciprocable piston within a reciprocable cupped cylinder Within a housing, a bore through the bottom of the cylinder, a sleeve depending from the housing, a stem slidable in said sleeve and in said bore and attached to said piston, a tubular spout slidable within the sleeve, means within the sleeve for limiting downward movement of the spout, a valve seat in the top of the spout, a valve on the lower end of said stem adapted to alternately open and close said valve seat, said spout extending below said sleeve, and means carried by the lower end of the spout for lifting the spout and thereby lifting said stem and piston, said means being adapted for adjustment to limit the upward movement of the spout, the lower extremity of the spout being sharp edged and said lifting means being internally substantially spaced from the periphery of the spout.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a housing having a base section and a top section slidably interconnected, a vent in said top section, means attached to the base section and extendible over said top when said 'sections are interconnected, said means carrying a screw adapted to close said vent and coincidently clamp said sections together.

9.' In a device of the character described, in combination, a liquid containing lhousing having a frusto-conical recess in itsI door and an outlet from the bottom of said recess, a reciprocable cupped cylinder within the housing and having a boss radapted to seat in' said recess, passages through said boss, a piston4 Within the cylinder having a stem slidably projecting through said boss and Within said outlet, a liquid kchamber within the housing and without the cylinder and in communication with' the interior of the cylinder over the top of the cylinder and means to raise the piston and to thereby create suction within the cylinder beneath the piston wherebyy to 'raise said boss from said seat.

l0. In a device of the character described, in combination, a piston Within a reciprocable cupped cylinder within but spaced from avhousing whereby to provide a liquid chamber around the cylinder Within the housing and in communication with the interior of the cylinder above the piston, a valve normally closing communication between the chamber and the interior of the cylinder below the piston ybut adapted to open such communication when the cylinder is raised. and means to raise the piston to vary the pressure above and below .thepiston whereby to raise thev cylinder.

THOMAS L. TITUs. 

